To deal with the evolving demands of the pandemic and to share ideas about preparing for recovery the platform will be regularly updated.

Claude Blanc, World Travel Market portfolio director, said that they are living in an extraordinary time and the World Travel Market team is committed to support the travel industry as it adapts to the unique challenges of coronavirus and prepares for recovery.

They have always augmented face-to-face events with valuable online resources throughout the year, and now they are ramping up that support with WTM Global Hub.

One of the highlights at the launch will be a webinar from Oxford Economics, which is a leader in global forecasting and quantitative analysis, taking place on April 28th at 16:00 BST.

It has been predicted by the company that the pandemic will mean the global GDP will shrink by about seven per cent in the first half of 2020 but there will be a rebound in the second half of the year.

In 2020 the Global GDP looks set to fall by 2.8 per cent overall and there will be some permanent loss of output for the global economy.

During the webinar, Oxford Economics will focus on the effects that Covid-19 is having on the travel and tourism industries around the globe and attendees will be able to ask questions during the webinar.

Simon Calder, the well-known British travel journalist and broadcaster will address the second seminar. He is a regular writer for British newspapers and a commentator about travel on TV, who is also a keen attendee of World Travel Market – London.

The third webinar will feature Nick Hall, from the Digital Tourism Think Tank, speaking with Jeremy Jauncey, who has also presented at World Travel Market – London.

Part of the Global Hub content will be provided in Spanish and Portuguese by World Travel Market – Latin America, which will also be adding Latin American content.

Blanc said that there will be webinars, podcasts, videos, news and blogs from key industry figures will provide travel professionals with a wealth of information, advice and support to cope with the current crisis and plan ahead for a ‘new normal’.